About Spring Mountain Ski Patrol

Spring Mountain Ski Patrol is a member patrol of the National Ski Patrol System.
Spring Mountain patrollers receive their training through National Ski Patrol authorized courses.
It is a non-profit organization under the supervision of Spring Mountain Adventures, Inc and its policies and procedures.
It relies on member dues, donations and a partnership with Spring Mountain Adventures, Inc to purchase equipment and supplies.

A Brief History of the National Ski Patrol

In the 1930s, skiing was a hardy activity that required a long drive on roads that were poorly maintained to an area that had snow-covered hills or mountains.
The only mode of uphill transportation was climbing, which required a couple of hours of huffing and puffing, all for a few minutes of a well-earned downhill thrill.
The skier's cry, "Track! " originated at that time, and when skiers climbing uphill heard that shout, they did the best they could to give the right-of-way to the approaching downhillers.
Since ski lessons were virtually nonexistent in those days, few skiers had learned to turn well and some could not turn at all, particularly with primitive equipment in unpacked snow.
Accidents were common, and most skiers generally accepted them as the price to pay for participating in the sport.

Charles Minot "Minnie" Dole, an insurance broker from Greenwich, Connecticut, realized the need for emergency care and rescue services for skiers back in 1936.
Dole was skiing at Stowe, Vermont, with his wife and their friends, Frank and Jean Edson, when he took a fall, heard a bone in his ankle snap, and lay helpless in the snow.
Edson stayed with him while the women skied down the mountain for help.
The first person they met was a local farmer who said that anyone foolish enough to ski deserved whatever fate offered, and went on his way.
The women finally located two people who helped haul Dole off the mountain on a makeshift rescue toboggan improvised from a piece of corrugated tin roofing.
X-rays showed a break so severe that Dole was told he might never walk again, let alone ski.
But he was determined to recover, and he did.

That same determination compelled Dole to do something about ski safety when, two months later, Frank Edson was killed in a ski race.
At the suggestion of Roland Palmedo, president of the Amateur Ski Club of New York, Dole was put in charge of a ski safety committee for the club.
In March 1938, Dole organized a volunteer ski patrol for the National Downhill Races at Stowe.
Roger Langley, president of the National Ski Association (NSA), now the United States Ski Association, was so impressed with the patrol that he asked Dole to organize a similar patrol on a national basis.
Then and there, the National Ski Patrol came into being - originally as a subcommittee of the NSA.

A tremendous organizational effort took place under Dole's leadership during the next few years.
The National Ski Patrol started out with five geographical divisions and a small core of patrollers that included several famous racers such as Bob Livermore, Dick Durrance, and Alex Bright, whose names lent prestige to the new organization.

In 1941, the first National Ski Patrol Manual was published.
The manual outlined the basic NSP organizational structure that still exists and listed the qualifications in emergency care and skiing ability that were required of NSP members; guidelines for organizing a local ski patrol; and a section on the NSP divisions.

During World War II many ski patrollers were recruited to form and train the Tenth Mountain Division.
This division saw distinquished service in the snows of the Alps and the Appenines in Europe.
Following WWII, members of the Tenth Division returned to the US and became founding members of many western ski areas and patrols.

In 1980 Public Law 96-489 granted the National Ski Patrol System, Inc. a federal charter under an act of Congress. The National Ski Patrol System, Inc.
is now a tax -exempt organization registered with the Internal Revenue Service under section 501(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. Presently this includes
the finances of the national office, the European and professional divisions.

In 1989 the National Ski Patrol rolled out its own first aid standard of care called Winter Emergency Care.
Previously, it had been using the American Red Cross' standard.
In a few years the new standard evolved into today's Outdoor Emergency Care used by most member patrols.

In the late '90's North Face, the long-time supplier of patrol parkas, decided to stop making the traditonal rust and blue parka worn as part of the patroller's uniform.
As a result, the National Ski Patrol switched suppliers and to a new red parka.
Most member patrols followed suit.
Today, the majority of patrollers wear red parkas.

A Brief History of the Spring Mountain Ski Patrol

Spring Mountain opened for business December 31, 1962.
It had a rope tow where the Boulder triple chairlift is located today, and one run: lower Alpine.
At first, the mountain manager kept a set of skis near the lodge door.
When a skier was injured, she would strap on her skis and go rescue them.

It was soon realized that a proper ski patrol was needed.
In January 1963, the Spring Mountain Ski Patrol was founded.
At first there were less than five members.
Over the years the patrol grew to nearly 100 members.

In 2003 the patrol celebrated its 40th year, and in 2004 it was designated the Oustanding Patrol, Eastern Division, National Ski Patrol.

In 2003 and 2004 the patrol built a new building adjacent to the Alpine patrol building to be used as a separate aid room.
At the same time the patrol room was remodeled to provide a larger kitchen and a separate changing room.
The new aid room and the remodeled patrol room made their debut for the 2004/2005 season.

What Spring Mountain Ski Patrol Members Do

The primary duty of ski patrollers is maintaining the safety of skiers, riders and visitors to prevent injuries at Spring Mountain Ski Area by: